Community Healthlink granted $50K from MassDevelopment for renovations

PHOTO | Courtesy of Google Maps Community Healthlink on Queen Street in Worcester

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By Isabel Tehan

Community Healthlink in Worcester has received a slice of $519,457 of MassDevelopment funding announced Monday, in order to remake its cafeteria.

The behavioral healthcare provider is set to see $50,000 in grant funding, the largest award amount available from this MassDevelopment statewide grant. Community Healthlink will use its funding to renovate its cafeteria at 12 Queen St, including new floors, electrical upgrades, installing a delivery door, and adding food storage racks and preparation items.

The renovation grant comes amid a period of turmoil for Community Healthlink, which is part of Worcester healthcare provider UMass Memorial Health. CHL’s president Tamara Lundi resigned from her role in May, after the organization laid off 80 workers and shut down three substance abuse programs following a surprise state inspection. The Worcester City Council has demanded CHL come up with a plan to reopen the programs.

Statewide, the MassDevelopment funding is going to 11 community health centers to assist the organizations with capital improvement projects, according to a Monday press release from MassDevelopment.

“These resources come at a crucial time for Massachusetts community health centers, as we seek to respond to the increased demand for our services in the wake of COVID-19 and the tremendous amount of unmet need for primary and behavioral health care throughout the Commonwealth, as well as our efforts to meet the moment with the heightened attention to health inequities,” Michael Curry, Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers president and CEO, said in the press release.

Other centers receiving MassDevelopment funding are Duffy Health Center in Barnstable, Fenway Health, Greater Roslindale Medical & Dental Center, Mattapan Community Health Center, and NEW Health, all in Boston, Brockton Neighborhood Health Center, Holyoke Health Center, Lowell Community Health Center, Lynn Community Health Center, and Greater Lawrence Family Health Center in Methuen.